YOU have a say in the Nurse Practitioner union’s new name!
YOU have a say in the Nurse Practitioner union’s new name!
We’ve listened to Nurse Practitioners across the province, and we’ve heard your message loud and clear: the name of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta – Union (NPAAU) is too similar to the existing name of our sister organization the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta (NPAA). The two organizations are certainly very different, so it makes sense to find a new name for our union that’s as distinctive and as unique as our members are!
It’s time to adopt a new name for the Nurse Practitioner union. The Board of the (for-now-still-named) NPAAU will soon hold a special meeting to consider this and other amendments to our Constitution. Meeting details will follow soon and we encourage all members of the union to attend. In the meantime, we’d love to get your feedback and your preferred name options!
Please click on the link below and help us identify your top choices for the union’s new name:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScnTT_OmIR0Jqn-1x5OxpugZdpZoJGuXAQlR6O6LcgF-r4Qzg/viewform
NPAAU Withdraws current ALRB certification applications and will re-apply
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [email protected]
July 21, 2021 https://abnursepractitioners.nationbuilder.com/contact
Good afternoon,
Earlier today, the NPAAU chose to withdraw its two active certification applications before the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) – one covering the Nurse Practitioners employed at Alberta Health Services (AHS) and one covering the Nurse Practitioners employed at Covenant Health. Here is why the NPAAU Board made this difficult decision and how we will move forward.
Although the ALRB officer’s report confirmed that the NPAAU had received far more than the required support of over 40% of Nurse Practitioners at both AHS and Covenant Health, the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) disputed this finding and raised numerous additional objections to both of NPAAU’s applications. Accordingly, hearings were scheduled for both applications in order to address UNA’s objections and also to determine whether or not the bargaining unit that NPAAU applied for in each case was appropriate.
Hearing and arguing these issues has caused significant delays. The AHS hearing began as a two-day hearing in early July and soon expanded into a five-day hearing scheduled to end in late September, and a decision on the AHS application was not expected until October. The Covenant Health hearing began as a two-day hearing in late July, and was in large part adjourned until after the decision for the AHS application. As a result, a decision for the Covenant Health application was not expected until late October or early November.
The NPAAU Board found these delays unacceptable. Nurse Practitioners across the province have shown their support for a union by Nurse Practitioners, for Nurse Practitioners. You expect NPAAU to act in the best interests of Nurse Practitioners at all times, including doing what is necessary to put forward the strongest possible case for NPAAU to be the certified bargaining agent for our membership. NPAAU aims to deliver. And in this case, we found that it would be less expensive, more timely, and ultimately more effective to simply withdraw both active certification applications and to re-submit new ones after the required 90-day period. Having withdrawn the applications earlier today, NPAAU will become eligible to re-apply for certification on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. And, with the support of our members, that’s what we aim to do.
When NPAAU re-applies for certification for AHS and Covenant Health, we expect that UNA or another party will once again raise objections to our new applications. A significant benefit of withdrawing from the current applications is that we can take steps to further strengthen our next applications against the critiques that UNA has raised.
Over the next 90 days, NPAAU intends to proactively improve upon our recruitment process and continue our commitment to addressing the needs and concerns of our members and Nurse Practitioners at large. We will refresh our branding and communications, and reconnect with you to hear and respond to your comments and questions. You have a choice of who you want to represent you at the collective bargaining table. Your voice deserves to be recognized. And your support matters now more than ever.
Thank you for your continued support of NPAAU throughout this process. It is our hope that, by withdrawing from the current applications, we will not only save time and expense, but also seize the opportunity to build upon the formidable groundwork that has now been laid for this new union of Nurse Practitioners across the province.
Sincerely,
Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta – Union (NPAAU)
Update - July 5th, 2021
Here is a quick update of where we are.
The vote was completed on June 18th and the votes will remain sealed and will not be counted until the objections that have been brought forward to the ALRB are heard. Those hearings are scheduled through July where our lawyer team is presenting evidence to refute or answer the objections.
The Alberta Counsel lawyer’s bill is $ 125,000.00 and counting, which is not unexpected for the amount of work they are doing. A payment plan will be set up once NPAAU is certified and a completed CBA has been established. NPAA funds will also go to help pay this bill as NPAA initiated this process according to the members' support.
Once the vote has been counted and we have been certified, then the team will move forward with trying to start collective bargaining. Any further updates will be sent out as the information becomes available. It is unlikely we will hear about the vote before early August.
If anyone has any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to Anne or myself at [email protected] or [email protected].
Thank-you everyone for your support. We will let you know once the vote has been completed.
Sincerely,
President, Mary-Elizabeth Cooper NP
Vice President, Anne Summach
Just the Facts
NPAAU aims to provide NPs with valuable and relevant information. We want NPs to be informed about the entire unionization process and have worked hard to make ourselves available for any questions. We have and will continue, to host weekly Q&A sessions (now occurring twice a week!) to address any, and all NPs, who join in.
For those that are unable to make it, and would like a brief summary of 'Just the Facts' please see the following document:
NPAAU Submits Labour Relations Board Application!
Message: Release: NPAAU Submits Labour Relations Board Application for AHS and Covenant Health NPs!
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [email protected]
April 27, 2021 https://abnursepractitioners.nationbuilder.com/contact
NPAAU Submits Labour Relations Board Application for AHS and Covenant Health NPs!
EDMONTON, Alberta – Today, the NPAAU filed an application to the Alberta Labour Relations Board (“ALRB”) to become the bargaining agent for AHS and Covenant Health nurse practitioners.
“This is a historic achievement for Nurse Practitioners in Alberta,” President Mary-Elizabeth Cooper said. “I would like to thank the tireless volunteers for their hard work, and the overwhelming support from NPs across the province who have joined our movement. We all built this organization together and, with your continued support, we are one step closer to becoming the voice of NPs in Alberta!”
Next Steps
The next steps include review of the application by the ALRB and an eventual vote. David Froelich, with decades of union & bargaining experience in Alberta, and Michelle Henderson, who has years of experience with national public unions, both reiterated that there is still work to be done: “We must continue the momentum and foster our growing team of supporters – if you want to join the team, don’t hesitate in joining us today!”
The Nurse Practitioners Association of Alberta – Union was formed to be the unique voice of NPs in Alberta. The NPAAU is supported by an experienced team of union organizers and negotiators and the law firm Alberta Counsel. The NPAA is dedicated to the representation of NPs by NPs.
Join the NPAAU https://abnursepractitioners.nationbuilder.com/join_us or volunteer https://abnursepractitioners.nationbuilder.com/volunteer today!